A TEAM of crime-busters who ended years of social misery for troubled residents in Newton Abbot have been rewarded for their successes.

Police and Teignbridge Council joined forces to deal with 15 years of drugs and violence-related problems which afflicted residents at one particular town centre address.

Operation Overture climaxed with court action against the source of the conflict and the shutdown of the property.

Two other properties in the town were also singled out for court-actioned closures.

The team – comprising the local housing association, a Teignbridge anti-social behaviour (ASB) officer and the police’s Newton Abbot Neighbourhood Team – were presented with a Chief Superintendent’s Commendation at a special ceremony in Torquay.

Recipients were PCSO Todd Ballman, PC Kelly-Ann Davies, Rob Kingdon, PCSO Deborah McCaffery and Leigh Rhodes.

The citation read: ‘Operation Overture was the partnership response to ASB, drugs and serious violence at a premise in Newton Abbot.

‘These issues had spanned a 15 year period with hundreds of incidents documented and residents reporting selling their homes to escape the area.

‘The housing association, council ASB officer and the Newton Abbot Neighbourhood Team worked tirelessly to tackle the issue producing over 30 statements, utilising new powers such as Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions and identified other premises linked to the disorder.

‘Two of these premises were linked to cuckooing, drugs and ASB, resulting in Operation Liquify. Nine months of investigation followed involving significant evidence gathering, a comprehensive partnership approach and long working weeks often reaching 60-70 hours.

‘On November 2 last year the team secured three house closures, initially for three months then extended to six months.

‘The quality of the evidential package produced was commended by the court and remained uncontested by the offenders who could not defend the evidence put forward.’

The citation concluded:

‘Following the house closures, letters, cards and social media messages have been received thanking those involved for changing people’s lives.

‘Press have reported an entire community being positively affected – and calls for police service have ceased completely.’